Potato digger



Dec. 3, 1929. McCLASKEY 1,738,074

POTATO DIGGER Filed Feb. 29, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 "0 Y a QZQJ/C Ra Zey M 3% y Dec. 3, 1929. R. MCCLASKEY 1,738,074

POTATO DIGGER Filed Feb. 29, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 RZ Yey ffc fZaakez Dec. 3, 1929. R. MCCLASKEY POTATO DIGGER Filed Feb. 29, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 aka-y -h VUN abtoudei o.

Dec. 3, 1929.

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Patented Dec. 3, 1929 PATENT OFFICE RILEY MGCLASKEY, OF IDAHO FALLS, IDAHO POTATO BIGGER Application filed February 29, 1928.

This invention relates to agricultural machines, and more particularly to machines especially designed for harvesting potatoes, beets, or the like and aims to provide novel 5 means whereby the potatoes or vegetables harvested will be conveyed to the rear of the machine without danger of the vegetable being bruised, cut, or otherwise damaged during the harvesting operation.

An important object of the invention is to provide means to prevent the clogging of the vegetables at a point where they enter the conveyor thereby insuring against the loss of time required to relieve this clogged condition.

and lowered to meet various requirements.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a plan view of an agricultural machine constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view thereof.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the machine.

Figure 4: is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5 5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the

machine embodies a wheel supported frame indicated generally by the reference character 5, the same being pivotally supported on the axle 6 so that it may be moved vertically to adjust the depth of operation of the plow 7 mounted at the forward end of the frame.

Serial No. 258,003.

The frame includes pairs of bars, the bars of each pair being indicated by the reference characters 8 and 9 respectively, the pairs of bars being arranged at opposite sides of the frame as clearly shown by Figure 2 of the drawings. The bars of each pair are disposed in vertical spaced relation with each other and have vertical shafts l0 and 11 arranged at the ends thereof. Mounted 011 these shafts 10 and 11 are spaced sprocket wheels 12 over which the endless conveyors 13 operate, the endless conveyors embodying vertical rods 14 having their ends formed into hooks and interlocked to secure the rods or links together.

The hooked ends of the links are so con structed that when the endless conveyors are operating to move the vegetables towards the rear of the machine the ends extend laterally to catch the vegetables and carry them through the machine without danger of the vegetables clogging the mouth of the machine.

Positioned between the shafts 10 and 11 and arranged intermediate the ends thereof, are shafts 15 on which the sprockets 16 are mounted at points adjacent to the ends thereof, the sprockets being secured to the shafts to move therewith.

As clearly shown by Figure 4 these shafts have their ends operating in bearings 16 that in turn are supported by the plates 17 secured to the bars 8 and 9 by means of bolts 18, the plates 17 being provided with elongated openings 19 in which the bolts 20 are positioned, the bolts 20 also passing through the bearing members 16 to support the bearing members for lateral adjustment to the end that the endless conveyors may be tightened or loosened, at will.

Disposed adjacent to the forward end of the machine is a horizontally disposed shaft 21 on which are mounted sprockets 22 disposed adjacent to the ends thereof, over which sprockets the endless conveyor 28 operates, the endless conveyor also operating over sprockets 24 arranged at the end of the shaft 25 which operates at the opposite end of the main frame of the machine.

This conveyor 23 acts to receive the vegetables from the plow 7 and carry the vegetawith the side bars of'the mainiframeiofethe.

machine in a manner to permit of pivotal movement of the main frame with respect to the frame 30.

lever 33 that has .connectionwith. the link 34 fthatjin turn hasip iv ot al iconnectiohfwith the [mainframe 35 th'erje being provided afseg mental r -1:13 connectedlwith are: frame 30 [so that the l'evr'rss may be ppm-area to raise k or lower the main frame of the machine and consequently; adj list" the plow 7. so that'it may operatelativarious depths. 1..

1' Powerv islapp'li'ed, to the machine by the motor 3.7,avhi oh is o'f the usual internal com- Qbnstionengine typetheisam'e b eiiig'supplied with sprocket 38 er I power sprocket that I rotates shaft 39' througlrth'e, medium of the chainjflO- and jspr'ocket 'mounted on the i g: 380 Shaft.

v.At the.v outer endsof: the shaft 39, are sprockets and 4?, respectively the sprocket i2 being 'pifovided to impart rotary motion tojthe shaftfZG thrQugh the medium of the ss ehain'. Q andfspijocket mounted on the Sh f 2 4,.

. "The sprocket transmits motion the l 45 through the medium, of the chain 46 and .sjprockfet ,47 mounted atone end of 4. shaft 45, the i shaft being shown as q mounted in bearings'afisecnred to the upper barsS'ofthe pairs of ba s. thatgfromthe main I frame ofthe machine;

Pivotally mounted on" th 'frame eois drawn over a field planted with potatoes or similar vegetables to be harvested, it being understood that the motor has been placed in operation to operate the various conveyors.

As the vegetables are removed by the plow, they are forced rearwardly by the conveyors where they are deposited at the rear of the machine.

The'conveyors 13 will act to move the vegetables rearwardly as they pile up at the vmouth of the machine, thereby preventing clogging of the machine which usually results in bruising the vegetables and rendering them unfit for use.

It believed that in view of the foregoing description, afurther description as to the op- "erat'ionof themachine 1S unnecessary.

I,claim: A potato digger including an inclined Wheel supported frame, a plow at the forward end of'the frame, an endless conveyor operat- 'i'n'g over the end of the frame, endless conveyors operating at the sides of the first mentioned endless conveyor, the sides of last mentioned conveyors operating in vertical planes, anendless conveyor operating in a horizontal plane, one end of the run of the last mentioned conveyor operating adjacent to the first mentioned conveyor to receive material therefrom, and means for adjusting the frame to regulatethe depth of operation of the plow.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing asmyown, I have hereto affixed my signature.

" RILEY MCCLASKEY.

. ,Mounted atjthe ends 435 are 45 beveledlpinions 49' thatmesh with the beveled p'inions 5O 'ino'un't'edi at the upper ends: oftlie ,shafts' tothe endqthat lo ary move mentof Y theshaft flfii is imparted'fto theshafts '11, which in turn'operatethe endless. conveyors o. ,thatfoperate iat the side amnes a-115mm.

Supp,orted jnnder the main fram of the {mach ne byineansofthehangers.51iis1a roller 1 ;52Q0ve11which lthelendless .conv y ipeefep erat es, to relieve the links oflthe conveyorof yorasfits sags 1 under. theiframe.

Q: The shaftl25" is provided with: a sprocket wheel 53 atone 1 end thereof, which sprocket transmits movement to; the sprocket 5. 1 mountdatbneend ,of.shaft 29 ,through the medium Lof the chaint55, there beingprovided an idle roller:5 6frestingon the chain to hol d the chain t9 fhi enst eeti n aeme nemah From theiforegoihg it will be livi -1g that 

